Daisy Chain – The Magnificent Seven

We may be carrying guitars, drum sticks and mics instead of guns, but we Daisy Chain women are not so different from Yul Brynner and his men in The Magnificent Seven, as we work hard to protect our rights, preserve our way of life and defend our freedom to rock in spite of our crazy busy schedules, umpteen kids, minimal time, and hearing loss!

I love my life but sometimes you have to fight hard to take time for yourself, follow your passions or simply have fun. We may not be fighting bandits from taking over our village, but our kids, hubbies, bosses, even though they love us, will monopolize our lives if we let them. And, society with all of its expectations of us as women and mothers will swallow us whole if we don’t stay strong, stand our ground, and kick convention in the ass with our sexy high heels from time to time.

So, for those of you that missed it last year, I am re-posting a blog I wrote, “Music has Charms to Soothe a Savage Breast,” to remind all of you and myself the importance of taking time for ourselves, music and good girlfriends! It was published in November 2011 on Chris Karr’s website, A Crazy Sexy Life. I have decided to re-post it here, today, because Daisy Chain not only continues to be an integral part of my life, our band is growing bigger and better every day (just like me). Not only is the beautiful and talented Angela now singing with us but our Goddess and bad ass drummer Isis is back, lovelier and badder than ever.

Like the magnificent seven, Debi, Raundi, Amy, Diana, Isis, Angela and myself will continue to rock the boat, rock the ages and rock the summer with our Daisy Chain Tour! And, you are all invited! Our first stop:

Orange County High School of the Arts Commercial Music End of the Year Party

Saturday, June 1st

The Gas Lamp, Long Beach

Doors open at 1:00 pm

Quin Murphy Foundation Silent Auction and Celebration

Saturday, June 8th

85 F St. Chula Vista, CA 91910

Starts at 1:00 pm

The San Diego Luna Chix Cycling Team Fundraiser for the Breast Cancer Fund

Featuring The Mammary Chronicles and Daisy Chain

Saturday, August 10th

The Bamboo Lounge, Hillcrest, CA

Starts at 6:00 pm

Pondwater

Saturday, September 7th

4:00 pm

I hope to see some of your happy shiny faces at our shows. Send me a message if you need any more info about Daisy Chain, The Mammary Chronicles or if you would like to book a show!

Four years ago, six of us crazy sexy forty-something suburban housewives went out on a limb, bucked convention, defied stereotypes and started our own rock ’n’ roll band. There was only one glitch. Not one of us could play an instrument. But that didn’t stop us. We bought guitars and a bass, replaced the couch and coffee table in the living room with drums, amps and a PA system, and hired Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin’s very talented and handsome doppelganger to teach us how to play.

Twice a week, we left the dishes and laundry behind, stealing a few precious moments away from our kids, husbands, “shoulds and ought to’s” to follow our soul and play some rock ’n’ roll. We practiced until we had blisters on top of blisters and that up-up-down-up pattern was ingrained in our brains. Our kids and hubbies thought we were nuts, but I know in my heart they loved our crazy sexy guts.

I am the one with the smile on my face in the picture above. Oh, wait, we are all smiling. That’s because we are having so much effing fun. I literally feel my endorphins kick in, the negativity leave my body and a sense of all is right with the world when belting out Blondie, KT Tunstall or Joan Jett. “I love rock ’n’ roll. Put another dime in the jukebox baby!”

In fact, not only does it bring me a sense of well-being and peace, I am certain that it has helped me stay sane in the midst of much insanity over these last few years, saving me thousands of dollars in therapy bills. Between the six of us, we could keep a psychologist employed full time trying to make sense of all the crap we have been dealt during our mid-life: financial difficulties, marital stress, parenting issues, job loss and cancer. But, rocking out with our band helps us keep perspective and stay strong.

It has been proven that music, whether playing it or listening to it, can help heal the body, relieve depression, accelerate the healing process, boost the immune system and lift ones spirits. William Congreve, a playwright from the 17th century brilliantly understood this as well. He wrote, “Music has charms to soothe a savage breast.” Funny, but I always thought this quote was “to soothe a savage beast.” Apparently it gets misquoted often. But just my luck, it is perfect for this blog. Sir Congreve was right. Music certainly helped sooth my savage breast.

Ten months ago, I was diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. After the initial shock, I refused to feel sorry for myself. I pulled myself up by my sexy bootstraps and got to work. I guzzled green juice, worked out at the gym, partook in dry rubs and daikon leaf baths, ate whole grains and huge organic salads, and took my omega-3s and vitamin D. And, last but not least, I kept on rock’n.

The docs cut off my breast and the chemo took my hair, but the cancer did not take my spirit. When I was feeling down and out, our band gave me a reason to pick myself up, brush myself off and get my butt to practice. Next to veggies, rocking out with my girlfriends is the best medicine in the world. Like Bob Marley said, “One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain,” although that may have been the ganja.

According to Dr. Mike Miller, “Music gives us an overall feeling of good, well-being, a sense of euphoria in some cases … and may be one of the best de-stressors, either by playing or even listening to it.” He used high-tech imaging to measure the size of blood vessels while people listened to music. Not surprisingly, he found that “the inner lining of the blood vessel relaxed, opened up and produced chemicals that are protective to the heart.” That’s some powerful stuff. If music can do that for the heart, imagine what it can do for the soul. Plato once said, “Rhythm and harmony find their way into the inward places of the soul.”

Music surely found mine.

By the way, we call ourselves Daisy Chain. We liked the name because it represents women connected to each other through music. (It also has something to do with multiple female participants, but that is for another site.) Little did we know when we chose the name that daisies were widely used in homeopathic remedies. During the 15th century, it was believed that drinking crushed daisies infused with wine could cure insanity. So does a night rocking out with six beautiful strong women and a bottle or three of organic Pinot Noir.

Some moms like to shop, we like to rock. Some plan play dates, we book show dates. Some go to the spa, we bring the law. Some play “Farmville,” we play “Margaritaville.” Some believe we are disturbing the peace, we believe it brings us peace. Our band is living proof: In the midst of adversity, annoyed neighbors and cancer, we have found a creative connection to each other and to our own souls playing rock ’n’ roll.

We recently performed at our biggest show ever, “Cocktails for a Cure,” in honor of both breast cancer awareness month and six women who refused to let anything stop them!

The damn dishes can wait; my rock ’n’ roll soul is calling.

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